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Domaine Montrose Old Star Carignan Noir 24
$18.99
In stock: 3 available
Domaine Montrose Old Star Carignan Noir 24
Product Details
Brand: Carignan
Carignan Noir is a largely unheralded cornerstone of Mediterranean red wine, and Olivier Coste’s Old Star bottling offers a vivid, contemporary take on this lesser-known varietal. Rooted in the Languedoc and Roussillon, Carignan (Cariñena in Spain) is a late‑ripening grape that thrives on warm, dry, stony slopes, where it produces deeply colored, concentrated fruit. Once valued mainly as a blending grape for its concentrated color, superb structure, and ample acidity, it’s now increasingly bottled on its own when terroir is favorable, and yields are kept reasonable.
On its own, Carignan is associated with dark fruits, peppery spice, and a distinct savory streak that verges on umami, especially from old vines grown on poor soils. The best expressions balance robust structure with freshness, are medium to full-bodied, have firm but polished tannins, and a beam of brightness that keeps the wine fresh and lifted.
In your glass, Olivier Coste Old Star Carignan Noir opens with a deep, vibrant ruby color leading to aromas of baked fruits, ripe plum, boysenberry, cracked black pepper, and a stony, slate‑like minerality. The medium‑bodied palate is filled with concentrated dark fruit, leading to a lingering finish marked by refreshing minerality, and savory spice.
Its Languedoc origins naturally point to classic regional pairings like grilled pork or lamb sausages, cassoulet, and hearty, meat‑topped pizzas, where the wine’s dark fruit and spice mirror char and slow‑cooked richness. Carignan’s blend of fruit, acidity, and umami‑tinged savoriness also encourages more out of the box pairings such as cinnamon‑spiced roasted vegetables, smoky barbecue, duck or turkey with berry sauces, and spiced tacos or Middle‑Eastern dishes featuring cumin and warm spices.
